The Light That LAMPCO Brings to Farmers

Wazzup Pilipinas!

As a liaison officer in San Isidro municipal hall, Loreto Davis, 57, hopes to retire early so he can focus on managing his 1.7-hectare farm with trees of cacao and coconut.

With the falling prices of copra, Davis, a member of Small Coconut Farmers Organization (SCFO) in San Isidro, Davao del Norte has been planting other crops such as cardava banana to cope up with this challenge.

For Davis, the support of cooperatives such as Laak Multipurpose Cooperative (LAMPCO) has been essential in increasing his income.

"Malaki ang tulong nila (LAMPCO). Ang produkto namin, sa kanila namin binebenta. Yung mga fertilizer pati ibang mga ginagamit namin (sa pagsasaka) doon kami kumukuha," he said.

LAMPCO is one of the leading agri-business cooperatives in Davao del Norte that buys coconuts and cacao from farmers, then sells them to institutional buyers like Davao Bay Coconut Oil Mills, Inc., Franklin Baker, and Kennemer Foods International, Inc.


LAMPCO’s beginnings

According to LAMPCO Chairman Mario Tipan, the cooperative started in 1986 in Brgy. Mangloy, Laak, Compostela Valley with 15 members aspiring for a simple yet noble objective.

"Walang mabilhan ang mga tao doon. Malayo. (Kaya) naisip nila na gumawa ng maliit na tindahan," he said.

The members were able to collect PHP 700 as a seed capital but unfortunately, their store went bankrupt before it even grew further.

"Kasi hindi nila alam kung paano patakbuhin. Dahil owner sila, nagtitinda sila, wala pang bayad," he added.

Realizing that sound fiscal management is essential in maintaining their store, LAMPCO began fixing their old practices. It eventually caught the attention of the local government, knowing that all their members were local farmers.

“Nagbigay ang local government ng post-harvest facility. Humiram din kami (ng capital) sa DTI (Department of Trade and Industry). Nakita nila na desidido kami mag-grow kasi binayaran din namin ang hiniram namin,” Tipan said.

As their membership increased, LAMPCO opened more branches and merged with other cooperatives in the areas where they operate. They also expanded their services to include granting loans to their members.


More work ahead

At present, LAMPCO now has five major branches and three other satellite branches in Laak and San Isidro Davao del Norte, with consumers, savings & credit and marketing as their main services.

The cooperative is actively participating in the value chain approach for area development of San Isidro with partners, Peace and Equity Foundation, Cocolink, and the local government of the municipality.

To Henry Mayormito, production coordinator of LAMPCO, the cooperative is now focusing on reintroducing their mission to their other members and training a new generation of leaders.

“Magkakakaroon ng capacity building and values formation para sa mga members para maintindihan ang role ng kooperatiba,” he said. We will also develop second-liners in the organization.” he added.

These goals are intended to continue LAMPCO's mission of developing a coop-oriented community and broaden their socio-economic opportunities while caring for the environment.


Read the story here: http://pef.ph/index.php/2019/07/08/the-light-that-lampco-brings-to-farmers/

DMCI Homes Launches Newest Project in Quezon City Amid Rising Demand

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Quezon City, in recent years, has evolved into a charming community that entwines the solitude of a residential village and the vibrancy of a central business district.

Now, with more infrastructure being put in place, the city is more alive than ever.

Anticipating further increase in foot traffic in the former Philippine capital, top real estate developers have lined up projects to meet the surge in demand for residential spaces in the city.

Premier Quadruple A developer DMCI Homes for one has launched Cameron Residences to add to its growing portfolio in the biggest city in the country in terms of population.

"Quezon City more than ever is shaping up to be a real estate hotspot with the government's aggressive infrastructure push in the area. We hope to help address the increasing demand by launching more projects in the city in the coming months," Assistant Vice President for Project Development Dennis Yap said.

Stretched out along Mapalad Street, Roosevelt Avenue, Quezon City, the Modern Tropical-themed development is a few minutes from the Skyway extension project, which is on its way to completion. With this new development, going from Cameron Residences to Makati will soon take just 30 minutes—a big leap from the current two-hour travel from Quezon City to the country’s financial capital.

Also anticipated to contribute ease to daily commute is the Metro Manila Subway Project which reportedly have seven stations in Quezon City namely Mindanao Avenue, Tandang Sora, North Avenue, Quezon Avenue, East Avenue, Anonas, and Katipunan.

Likewise, the MRT-7 railway system, which will take passengers from San Jose del Monte, Bulacan to North Avenue, Quezon City is another significant infrastructure project that will promote convenient travel in the area.

Furthermore, restaurants, leisure zones, shopping malls, hospitals, universities, government institutions, and business districts located near the area make the 45-level residential tower an ideal investment for end-users, upgraders, and investors looking for living spaces in the heart of Quezon City.

“We will aim to maximize the property’s excellent proximity to future infrastructure projects to create a working resident’s haven in Northern Metro Manila,” Yap said.

Known for its resort-inspired condominium communities, DMCI Homes intended the single-tower development to give residents a good balance of exquisite living spaces and areas for fun and leisure.

Included in the outdoor amenities are the following: garden area, lap and leisure pools, kiddie pool, kids’ play area, gazebo and sky promenade.

Indoor amenities, meanwhile, include snack bars, game area, lounge area, fitness gym, sky lounge. Facilities such as eight high-speed elevators, laundry station, convenience store, water refilling station, and mailroom are also provided for the convenience of the residents.

Additionally, the building is designed with Lumiventt Technology to allow natural light and fresh air to permeate within the condo’s residential floors through three-storey high breezeways, single-loaded hallways, and landscaped atriums.

Designed for the single working dweller or young families, the 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom unit sizes range from 26 to 83 square meters at a price of P3.94 million – P9.74 million.

Cameron Residences which is targeted for completion in March 2025, is one of the developments of DMCI Homes, the country’s first Quadruple A real estate developer known for building quality resort-inspired communities in Mega Manila, Baguio City, Boracay and Davao City. Each of its properties is built with world-standard craftsmanship borne from D.M. Consunji Inc.'s over 60 years of expertise in the construction and development industry.

To learn more about Cameron Residences and other DMCI Homes projects, call (632) 324-8888. News and other updates are also posted on the company's official social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

Power Mac Center Spotlights Tech and PH Culture in 25th Anniversary Celebration

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Online video series features different generations of industry icons discussing their craft

Twenty-five years ago, the founders of Power Mac Center took a leap of faith and put everything on Apple, then a rising foreign brand, by opening the first ever retail store in the country that offers its technology. From being a humble Apple retailer, service excellence and professionalism pushed PMC to become a catalyst for the digital lifestyle revolution in the country.

In celebration of its silver anniversary, Power Mac Center looks back on its involvement in Philippine culture, especially in the realms of music, cinema, business, arts, fashion, photography, and entertainment through Generations, a series of videos that feature different generations of local industry icons from the Apple community. Shot using the iPhone XS, the series explores how various crafts have evolved with technology over the years.

“When Power Mac Center began as a five-person startup in 1994, harnessing innovation was our main capital. We were dedicated to providing Filipinos with the latest Apple products in the global market. Twenty-five years later, we have grown to over 75 locations nationwide and, more importantly, have built strong relationships with thousands of our customers. These relationships are what we celebrate the most through this campaign,” said Joey Alvarez, PMC Director of Product Management and Marketing.


The Generations Series

The first installment of the video series highlights the Philippine music industry. The episode features singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Rico Blanco, together with IV of Spades’ vocalist and songwriter Zild Benitez, who discussed their early beginnings in the industry and how technology advanced their craft.

Benitez, growing up in the age of technology, shares that he started by remixing songs and experimenting on various kinds of music using his laptop, admitting that around 80% of his band’s output is still produced from his computer. Meanwhile, Blanco, considered a pioneer of OPM modern classics, talks about the advantages today’s technology brings when it comes to producing one’s own music, as well as creating a name in the music industry.

“From your computer in your room, you can upload something, where it can result to infinite possibilities. There will be no limitations,” Blanco remarked. “We should take caution in completely relying on technology, however. There’s still nothing that could compare to skill, ideas, and taste.”

Every month until November, a new installment of the video series will be out. The second episode features seasoned director Laurice Guillen and up-and-coming filmmaker Samantha Lee, who discussed defying society rules and stereotypes by telling their stories through film. Find more about PMC’s Generations series in itsFacebook, Twitter, and Instagramaccounts, and subscribe to itsYouTube channel.


The Power Mac Center Journey

When Power Mac Center started its operations in 1994, the Apple business already existed but it mostly catered to businesses and industrial clients. PMC took a different route by going for the consumer market, where there was a demand to experience Apple technology and no one to satisfy it. Creatives and design houses would require machines that were capable of delivering their desired outputs and no other computers would match what Apple had to offer.

The very first Apple retail store was in SM Megamall, a small store beside the cinemas staffed by Power Mac Center’s CEO and COO. It enjoyed many milestones after resellers were recognized as a key mover in the global Apple business. Not many years later, the tech brand skyrocketed worldwide following the release of the first iPod, and it rose in popularity in the Philippines as well. Soon enough, as Filipinos started to adopt a digital lifestyle, Apple technology became the go-to devices for customers seeking high quality products and PMC became the local Apple experts in both product sales and service. As the demand rose, more consumer products were introduced, enabling PMC to expand to more locations and improve its offerings.

With its more than two-decade experience in offering the entire Apple ecosystem including training and repair/maintenance services, PMC managed to empower an entire generation of Filipinos who grew up during the time that technology was fast emerging.